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Rain to bring relief for farmers, firefighters

The East Gippsland Catchment Management Authority is predicting heavy rain will relieve the region's farmers and irrigators over the autumn months.

The authority's CEO, Graeme Dear, says the rain will greatly benefit the Gippsland Lakes and help keep the entrance to the Snowy River open.

He says there are more flows to come.

"We haven't seen a lot of the actual flows in the lower Mitchell yet, but there's been quite high rainfalls around Mount Wellington and Hotham, so around the next couple of days we should see those flows start to enter the Mitchell especially," Mr Dear said.

"The Snowy hasn't had particularly big flows, but any will be an improvement on what we had."

Bushfire

Meanwhile, the Captain of the Coongulla Fire Brigade, Geoff Lynch, is breathing a sigh of relief after yesterday's downpour.

The Glenmaggie catchment had been the driest it has ever been this summer, but Mr Lynch says it is likely yesterday's downpour has removed the serious risk of bushfire this summer.

He says it is a welcome relief, ahead of more big crowds at Lake Glenmaggie over Easter.

"Put it this way, the rain has got into where we wanted it to get to, it's got down into the undergrowth, and yes, it's put things back greener than what they were," Mr Lynch said.

"Everything's had a good soak there now and now we'd be looking at hoping that everybody just keep their wits about them."